Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies

Makes 48

• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 ounces light cream cheese (Neufchâtel), at room temperature
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¾ teaspoon ground cardamom
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup white whole wheat flour
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons colored decorating sugar

1 With electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter, cream cheese, sugar, nutmeg, cardamom, vanilla, and salt in large bowl until light and fluffy. Add both flours and beat just until blended. Divide dough in half and shape into 2 disks. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

2 Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

3 On lightly floured surface with lightly floured rolling pin, roll one disk of dough to about ¼-inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes using 2- to 3-inch cookie cutters. Gather scraps and reroll to cut out additional cookies. Place cookies 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets. Repeat with remaining dough. Sprinkle cookies evenly with colored sugar.

4 Bake just until edges are golden, 8–10 minutes. Let cool 2 minutes on baking sheets on wire racks. Transfer to wire racks and let cool completely.

PER SERVING: (2 COOKIES): 42 Cal, 2 g Total Fat, 1 g Sat Fat, 0 g Trans Fat, 6 mg Chol, 17 mg Sod, 5 g Total Carb, 3 g Sugar, 0 g Fib, 1 g Prot, 3 mg Calc. PointsPlus value: 1

Cook’s Note

If the dough becomes too soft when rolling and cutting, place it in the freezer for about 10 minutes to firm it up again.